Mitja Nikisch

Mitja Nikisch ( born May 21, 1899 in Leipzig, † August 5, 1936 in Venice ) was a German pianist, composer and dance orchestra conductor.

Life and work

The son of conductor Arthur Nikisch and actress Heussner Amélie was primarily pianist and studied from 1912 to 1919 at the Leipzig Conservatory with Robert Teichmüller and Joseph Pembaur piano and Stephan Krehl music theory and composition. From 1919 he undertook concert tours as a pianist, in 1923 he recorded works by Chopin on piano rolls; but he changed his profession and founded in 1925 a dance orchestra.

Due to the remarkable success of Paul Whiteman during his performances in Berlin Jazz Symphony Orchestra formed in Germany with up to 20 musicians. Mitja Nikisch was a leader in this development and had the reputation of a " German Whiteman ". As early as 1927 he made recordings for Parlophone with a " symphonic jazz orchestra occupied ". His Mitja Nikisch dance orchestra was in the late 1920s an extraordinarily well-staffed, with top international soloists -studded ensemble: George Hirst, Danny Polo, David Bee, Eddie Rosner, the brothers Waldi and Adalbert Luczkowski and Christian Wagner, became the soloist of the band, over which the Berlin busy guitarist Otto Sachsenhauser ruled: " the best band I ever listened! " in 1929 there were joint performances with the Syncopators by Stefan Weintraub. 1930 and 1931 he played with his dance orchestra in Berlin Casanova Casino International. Because of the Nazi dictatorship, he had to give up the band.

He played 1934 Mozart's Piano Concerto ( K. 466 ) with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Rudolf Schulz- Dornburg and increasingly devoted himself to composition. His Piano Concerto is considered the main compositional work; he finished it shortly before his suicide and dedicated it to his wife Barbara. 1941, and the first performance under Charles Munch in Paris. The soloist was Nikisch childhood friend Kostia Konstantinoff (* 1903 † 1947); the German premiere took place in 1978 in Munich.

Sounds (selection)

  • Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor: Rudolf Schulz- Dornburg. Telefunken E.1643 - 1646th Berlin, march 1934.
  • Strauss fantasies of a Jazz Musician ( Theo Mack Eben) I and II Parlophon P.9175 ( 20 422 / 20 423 W)
  • Blue Skies ( Irving Berlin) Parlophon P.9178 (20 363- II W )
  • Alabama Stomp ( Jimmy Johnson) Parlophon P.9178 ( 20 634 W)
  • Henderson Stomp ( Fletcher Henderson ) Parlophon P.9187 (20 550W ) - 1927
  • Symphonic Jazz Variations on " Hallelujah" (Victor Youmans, arr Nikisch ) Parlophon P.9209 ( 20 605 W)
  • Symphonic Jazz Variations on " Is not She Sweet " ( Ager & Yellen, arr Nikisch ) Parlophon P.9209 ( 20 637 W) - 1928
  • Symphonic Jazz Variations on " Blue River " ( Bryan Meyer, arr Nikisch ) Parlophon P.9248 (20 703- II W )
  • Is not That a Grand and Glorious Feeling ( Milton Ager ) Parlophon P.9249 ( 20 638 W) 1928
  • Ziki Ziki Paki Pu. One-Step ( Vittorio Mascheroni, arr Nikisch ) Parlophon B.12 101 -I ( mx 37 854 ) - 1928
  • Wedding of the Doll (The Wedding of the Painted Doll) Foxtrot insert ad Charell revue operetta The Three Musketeers (NH Brown, arr Nikisch ) Parlophon B.12 101 -II ( mx 37 855 ) 1928
  • A love affair by the way. Foxtrot from the Ufa - talkies of the Erich Pommer production burglar ( Words and Music by Friedrich Hollaender ) Mitja Nikisch and his orchestra with chorus singing: Paul Dorn. Electrola E.G.2177 ( mx BD 9358-2 ). Berlin, December 1930
  • Let me be your Carmen once. Paso Doble from the Ufatonfilm the Erich Pommer production burglar ( Words and Music by Friedrich Hollaender ) Mitja Nikisch & his Orchestra, vocals: Paul Dorn. Electrola E.G.2177 ( mx 0D 13-2 ). Berlin, January 1931
  • I can, I will ... ( Should I? ) Fox Trot from Lord Byron of Broadway ( Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed ) Mitja Nikisch ms Dance orchestra, chorus vocals Paul Dorn. Electrola E.G.2228 ( mx 0D 107-2 ). Berlin, February 1931
  • I stand in the snow and waiting 'on you. Fox Trot ( Dr. Bronislaw Kaper ) Dance Orchestra Mitja Nikisch, Refrainges. Paul Dorn. Electrola E.G.2228 (OD 106- II). Berlin, February 1931
Frédéric Chopin Integrated Authority File
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